Mustafa K Anuar explains why Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali’s recent claim – that Malay-Muslim business people are at a disadvantage compared to their non-Muslim counterparts because Islam prohibits Muslims from being involved in haram activities – rings hollow. Continue reading »
Anil Netto looks at the Pakatan Rakyat economic orientation and questions whether its pro-business policies are compatible with pro-people sustainable development.
The PR has to realise that its back is to the wall at the moment and to cling on to its idealism would also entail an enormous political cost, not least the very real prospect of losing support, patronage and power from those (particularly in the business community) who may decide to shift their loyalties elsewhere. Yet clinging on to its ideals and policy promises is not a case of misplaced juvenile idealism or romanticism gone off the tangent, notes Farish A Noor: without its ideals, the PR is nothing.
Rising food and fuel prices mean the real purchasing power of workers’ wages is plunging fast. What we have seen is economic growth that has only benefited business owners, thus increasing the income divide. Are we to deny workers the very basics in life just so that businesses can thrive and record huge profits, asks Syed Shahir Mohamud.
Continue reading »
In many cases, high-level inter-religious and inter-civilisational dialogue conferences and seminars, held routinely in hotels and resorts the world over, have become an end in themselves: a convenient meeting point for Western elites and their third world compradore counterparts to come together and agree upon the terms of the Washington neo-liberal consensus, writes Farish A Noor.
‘Media values’ and ‘business ethics’ are obscuring the real issues of free speech and environmental calamity, says John Hilley.When will the liberal media and eco bodies claiming to articulate these concerns wake up to the reality of raw corporate power?
Continue reading »
Women must get involved in the health financing debate as they are major care providers and recipients in the health care system.
Continue reading »